Mechanism for coaxial feeding of two combustion liquids to a combustion chamber



Feb. 6, 1951 R. H. GOODARD 2,540,665

MECHANISM FOR COAXIAL FEEDING oF TWO COMBUSTION LIQUIDS TO A COMBUSTIONCHAMBER Filed Feb. 1, 1946 a a jofifitfi ef 22,0664. 5 6235% 6.60am,Z/YZUIRQZ.

' mM/fh Patented Feb. 6, 1 951 MECHANISM FOR COAXIAL FEEDING OF TWOCOMBUSTION LIQUIDS TO A COM- BUSTION CHAMBER Robert H. Goddard,deceased, late of Annapolis, Md., by Esther C. Goddard, executrix,Paxton, Mass., assignor. of one-half to The Daniel and Florence-'Guggenheim Foundation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication February 1, 1946, Serial No. 644,848

4 Claims.

This invention relates to'ja combustion chamber having provision fordelivery thereto of a combustible liquid fuel and a liquid oxidizinagent such as liquid oxygen. .The invention further relates to acombustion chamber to which two combusion liquids are deliveredcoaxially.

It is the general object of the invention to provide improved means bywhich two combustion liquids may be delivered to a combustion chambercoaxially and in an annular series of successively alternated areas.More specifically, the invention relates to a construction in acombustion chamber which provides for alternating feed areas of highdensity and low density for one combustion liquid and also provides fordelivering portions of a second combustion liquid to the areas of lowdensity.

The invention also relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

Preferred forms of the invention are shown in the drawing, in which Fig.1 is a sectional side elevation of a combustion chamber embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of certain parts shown inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the outlet portion of the gasoline feedmember, with certain associated parts omitted for clearness;

Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view of certain delivery or nozzleparts, partly in section;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional fragmentary view of the partsshown in Figs. 3 and 4 (assembled) Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic viewindicating the paths of delivery of the two liquids;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view, the line '|1 in Fig. l; and

Fig. 8 is a partial sectional side elevation of a'combustion chambershowing a modified construction.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7, a combustion chamber C having a nozzleportion N is shown, said chamber havin an inner side wall It), an outerwall II, and an intermediate wall l2. These walls are securely held infixed spaced relation by partitions 14 (Fig. 7) positioned in radialplanes about the periphery of the combustion chamber. The casing membersl0, II and I2 are formed of steel or some other metal of high tensiblestrength and the partitions [4 are preferably of some metal having highheat conductivity, such as copper, bronze or some other suitable alloy.

' Reference to Fig. 1 will show that a Jacket taken along space S isenclosed around the nozzle portion N between the casing walls I0 and IIand around the chamber C between the walls II and i2. The walls l0 andI! also enclose a jacket space S around the chamber C and within thejacket space S.

. One or more feed pipes [8 supply liquid oxygen to the outer jacketspace S, and one or more feed pipes I9 similarly supply gasoline orother liquid fuel to the inner'jacket space S. The liquid oxygen coolsthe nozzle portion N of the combustion chamber and the oxygen may bepartially vaporized by the heat thus received. Additional heat isreceived from the gasoline in the inner jacket space S. The gasoline maylikewise be partially vaporized by the heat in the combustion chamber.

At its rear end, the outeror oxygen jacket space S connects with theouter 'end of an oxygen feeding nozzle 20, preferably located in theaxis of the combustion chamber C and expanding toward the combustionchamber.

The nozzle 20 is-provid-ed with inwardly projecting ribs or vanes 2i and22 (Fig. 4), all of these vanes being preferably wedge-shaped in crosssection and the vanes 22 extending nearer to the axis of the nozzle 20than the vanes 2|. The spaces between the vanes have approximatelyparallel limiting side surfaces, due to the wedge-shaped cross sectionof the vanes.

As the liquid or partially vaporized oxygen is delivered under pressurethrough the nozzle 29, the stream of oxygen is broken up by the vanes 2|and 22 to present portions of high density corresponding to the spacesbetween the vanes and portions of very low density intervening betweenthe high density portions. The low density portions induced by thelonger or deeper vanes 22 extend closer to the axis of the oxygenstream, so that the stream throughout its length has high and lowdensity portions in approximately the same ratio. The flow of oxygen tothe nozzle 20 is assisted by a deflecting cone 24 (Fig. 2).

The inner jacket space S is connected to an annular member 3|] (Figs. 2and 3) having inner and outer walls 3| and 32 and intervening partitionsor vanes 33 which provide gasoline delivery passages 34 (Fig. 3) whichcorrespond in angular position to the positions of the vanes 2| and 22and which consequently correspond to the portions of low oxygen density.The passages 3411, which correspond in position to the longer or deepervanes 22, are of increased width so as to supply extra gasoline for thedeeper portions of low oxygen density.

The relative directions of the oxygen and gasoline streams is indicateddiagrammatically in Fig. 6, where it appears that the spaced streams ofgasoline delivered through the annular member 30 are angularly projectedinto the striated stream of oxygen projected through the nozzle 20, thecombined streams forming a composite jet J of alternated portions ofgasoline and liquid oxygen which enters the chamber C at high velocity,due to the pressure in the supply pipes from which the liquid oxygen andgasoline are fed.

An annular space 40 may be provided adjacent the entrance portions ofthe nozzle 20 and memher 30, and this annular space may be connected tothe atmosphere by tubes 4| (Fig. 2), so that a limited amount of air maybe drawn into the jet J of combustion materials. This may be desirableto effect more complete combustion.

Preferably the speed of the gasoline jet portions is the same as thespeed of the oxygen jet portions and both speeds are relatively high, sothat there is little or no mixing of the two materials before they enterthe chamber C. Combustion cannot take place until the stream has fullyentered the combustion chamber, since the components must be raised toignition temperature before combustion can begin.

Immediately after the stream or jet J enters the chamber C, combustiontakes place for the following reasons: First, the heat of the chamberraises the temperature of the laminated mixture to the ignition point.Second, the speed of the laminated jet is very suddenly reduced onentering the chamber, and the jet is compressed as it encounters thegaseous pressure developed in the chamber. This sudden stopping of thejet and compression of the mixture generates heat which additionallyraises the temperature of the mixture. Third, the mechanical energyproduced by the sudden stopping of the high speed stream or jet causesstron turbulence and effective intermingling of the combustion elements.

Consequently, the stream or jet J while in the form of very thinalternate layers of oxygen and gasoline or other liquid fuel will notignite in the short time in which these layers are in contact beforethey enter the combustion chamber. These layers are, however, quicklyand thoroughly mixed and raised in temperature as soon as they enter thechamber C, with resulting intense and very rapid combustion.

In Fig. 8 the invention is shown as applied to a combustion chamber Cwhich is rotatably mounted as disclosed in the prior Goddard Patent No.2,395,114, issued February 19, 1946, in which one or more pairs ofnozzles 50 and annular members 5| may be provided. These are preferablysymmetrically located with respect to the axis of the chamber andpreferably deliver their laminated streams to a common axial point.

Having thus described the invention and the advantages thereof, it willbe understood that the invention is not to be limited to the detailsherein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but thatwhat is claimed is:

1. In a combustion apparatus, a feeding device for one combustion liquidcomprising a tubular nozzle of circular cross section and havinginwardly projecting vanes of different radial lengths, a. coaxialannular feeding device for a second combustion liquid and havingpartitions opposite the spaces between said vanes and having interveningspaces opposite said vanes, and annular means to add air to said jet.

2. In a combustion apparatus, feeding mechanism comprising a tubularnozzle of circular cross section and having internal and axiallyextended vanes, and an annular feeding device coaxially disposed withrespect to said nozzle, said feeding device comprising inner and outerspaced annular casing members and said device having an annular seriesof spaced feed openings, and each of said feed openings being positionedin axial alignment with one of said vanes.

3. In a combustion apparatus, a feeding device for one combustion liquidcomprising a tubular nozzle of circular cross section and havinginwardly projecting vanes of different radial lengths, and a coaxialannular feeding device for a second combustion liquid, said feedingdevice comprising inner and outer spaced annular casing members and saiddevice having partitions opposite the spaces between said vanes andhaving intervening spaces opposite said vanes.

4. In a combustion apparatus, a feeding device for one combustion liquidcomprising a tubular nozzle of 'circular cross section and havinginwardly projecting vanes of different radial lengths, and a coaxialannular feeding device for a second combustion liquid, said feedingdevice comprising inner and outer spaced annular casing members and saiddevice having partitions opposite the spaces between said vanes andhaving intervening spaces opposite said vanes, and the spaces betweensaid partitions which are opposite the deeper vanes being of greatercircumferential width.

ESTHER C. GODDARD, Executria: of the Last Will and Testament of RobertH. Goddard, Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 861,662 Lassoe et al July 30,1907 1,510,183 Macdonald et al. Sept. 30, 1924 1,857,556 Lasley May 10,1932 2,135,786 Bennett Nov. 8, 1938 2,168,313 Bichowsky Aug. 8, 19392,183,313 Goddard Dec. 12, 1939 2,396,567 I Goddard Mar. 12, 19462,404,335 Whittle July 16, 1946 2,405,465 Summerfield Aug. 6, 19462,407,852 Smith Sept. 17, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date331,555 Great Britain July 4, 1930 608,242 Germany Jan. 21, 1935 683,439

Germany Nov. 6, 1939

